Missing in Slim campaign trails: Pejuang leaders and Bersatu members

Zainal Epi, Malay Mail Online

Independent candidate Amir Khusyairi Mohamad Tanusi is depending on a small group of supporters to help him canvass votes, as campaigning for both sides fail to impress voters.

Outnumbered against Barisan Nasional (BN) and PAS campaign machineries, supporters of yet-to-be-registered Parti Pejuang Tanah Air candidate has now resorted to campaigning using phone calls rather than meeting voters face-to-face.

Some of them accompanying Amir Khusyairi on his walkabouts admitted they do not enough manpower nor transport to visit every house in the two Felda estates of Trolak and Besout which cover an area of nearly 100km square.

However, they said their communications with voters through phone calls have revealed several issues which may likely be used as hot button topics against BN.

So far, no top leaders from Pejuang have accompanied him during such events, besides party president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and former education minister Mazlee Malek over the weekend.

This is exacerbated by the fact that Bersatu had initially only had a handful of members in Tanjung Malim division, before its members joined Pejuang.

This has caused a lack of support for Amir Khusyairi among locals ahead of the by-election.

On the other hand, BN seems to be coping together with PAS despite the absence of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia members.

While some Umno members seemed to accept Bersatu members’ reasoning of busy schedule ahead of its Youth and Women’s wings annual general meetings last week, they were still disappointed with their new Muafakat Nasional ally’s absence.

Many had expected Bersatu members and leaders to start joining the campaign yesterday in a show of solidarity, but were left disappointed.